


Orphaned

by Chippani



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Au: quirin dies, Gen, One Shot, Tis but a single one shot, based on my friend's rp verse, because angst, today on I don't know how to end things but hate having less than 1000 words, unless...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21612925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chippani/pseuds/Chippani
Summary: Quirin didn't survive the amber and Varian... Well, he's handling it better than when he was first encased, but he's still not handling things well.Rapunzel and co know now that he needs them more than ever.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney), Rudiger & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 196





	Orphaned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CrayolaColor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrayolaColor/gifts).



> Thank Color for this everyone.  
> Without her, I never would have written this.
> 
> Her rp blog is @alchemyready

_"Thank you." He whispered as he squeezed Rapunzel. He meant it too, but he never knew how much it would_ hurt _looking back._

_Truthfully, he should have known something was wrong as he ran to see his father. Quirin should have heard him rushing over; he should have lifted his head and smiled at his son. But none of that happened. Instead, Varian knocked his limp body over the moment he tried to hug him._

_It took a long moment for the teen to process this. A long moment for him, at least. To Rapunzel, he'd only paused for a moment before he started to cry._

_"No...no no. No please! Not like this! Not after everything that's happened! Dad, please. Dad..." He sobbed before remembering the note. He snatched it out of the liquid amber, but he couldn't bring himself to read the words._

_"Varian? A-"_

_"C-could you give me a hand?" He asked softly, as though his voice would break if he spoke any louder. For all he knew, it would._

_"Okay," Rapunzel had replied, probably afraid that if she spoke any louder he would break. The terrible part: he was sure that he would._

* * *

Varian blinked slowly. He'd been staring at the celing for so long. _When had it gotten so dark?_

Ruddiger chittered at him again. He turned his head to look at the raccoon. His fuzzy friend stared back with wide, worried eyes. Normally that would have gotten at least a small smile. Instead Varian rolled onto his side and reached out, stroking his friend's head.

"I know, buddy. You're worried about me. I just..." He swallowed thickly. "He's really gone."

His vision cleared as he felt a tear rolling across the bridge of his nose. He was so tired of crying, but it was starting to feel like that was all he could do since Rapunzel brought him back to the castle. It was just until he got back on his feet, but...

On days like this it felt like he was that small boy that fell in the river. The ground rushing out from under his feet, the water pulling his head under. _Except his father wasn't there to save him this time._

That was probably the worst part. He couldn't save himself, and the one person who could was...

A sob tore through his chest and he pulled Ruddiger closer. The animal didn't fight it. In fact, he nosed Varian's hair out of his face and gripped his shirt with his paws.

_When did I last change?_

_Who cares?_

A rapping came at the door and he paused, opening his eyes and glancing towards it. A voice came, someone called his name. He sniffled and sat up. _Had someone called his name?_

"Varian, are you in there? It's me, Rapunzel." Her voice came again.

"Y-yeah. I'm here. Just gi- just gimme a second." He managed. His voice sounded horrendous to his ears. Scratchy and underused since the funeral.

Ruddiger hopped to the floor as Varian's bare feet touched the tiles. He barely registered the short trek to the door, but he hesitated as his hand hovered inches from the handle. _Why is Rapunzel here?_

Then he pulled the door open and there she stood, golden hair gently framing her soft, round face. Her green eyes filled with worry and sorrow. She didn't say anything as she pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

For some reason that was what broke the dam holding back his tears. So rarely did he cry in front of anyone other than Ruddiger and his father, but now he clung to Rapunzel for dear life as he began sobbing. The front of her dress was quickly getting soaked, but he didn't care. It hurt so much. He was in so much pain.

The sound drew Eugene. He hadn't been expecting that. His strong arms wrapped around the two and they gently guided him back into the room so he could sit. Ruddiger gave a soft trill and tried to wiggle into the hug.

"It's okay, kid-"

"No it's not!" They stiffened slightly. "Don't you get it? This is all my fault!

"I created the amber! I'm the reason he's dead!" Varian cried. His chest felt impossibly tight as it hit him again. His father was _dead_. And for some reason, that made everyone he knew want to come to him and tell him it was okay. Like it wasn't his fault. Like he hadn't done so many horrible things to everyone.

He couldn't take it anymore. He knew. He knew it was his fault. The guilt was eating him alive. What was worse was that no one else in the kingdom seemed to notice that.

"Varian, kid. Listen, it wasn't your fault." Eugene nudged Rapunzel lightly.

"It was an accident. Accidents happen, and this time it happened to cause something terrible to happen." She pulled away and stroked his cheek, wiping his tears. Her own eyes were watery, but she refused to let herself cry yet. Not until Varian stopped blaming himself.

Eugene chimed in, "it may feel like it right now, but once you accept that it was an accident, that it wasn't your fault, you'll feel better. No, not a lot better, and you might never be completely okay, but better is better." Ruddiger chirped in agreement.

Varian nodded slowly. Logically, he knew Eugene was right, but his heart didn't care. "Yeah, I just- I-I miss him." More tears spilled over his cheeks.

"We know." Rapunzel said as they started crying with him. "We know."

The stars twinkled outside. Once, they'd brought comfort to a lonely girl who wanted nothing more than to see the world. Now, they did nothing to help the boy who cried for the father he just wanted to make proud. Perhaps, somewhere among them, a man watched on, wishing he could tell his son he had always been proud of him, but there's really no way to tell. Is there?

**Author's Note:**

> :)


End file.
